When a player is taken in the first round of the MLB draft, immediate results are usually expected — if not in the big leagues, then in the minors.

Nevertheless, not every first-round pick is a phenom such as Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg. Like most things, the process takes time, and patience must be practiced.

One such player who was taken high and hasn’t posted eye-popping numbers — but is gradually coming along — is shortstop Gavin Cecchini, whom the Mets selected with the 12th-overall pick in the 2012 draft (seven picks before the Cardinals selected Michael Wacha, who starred in last season’s playoffs).

“The thing that stood out about Gavin was that he had few weaknesses and did everything so well,” Mets vice president of player development and scouting Paul DePodesta said in a phone interview. “It wasn’t any one thing when you looked at him and said, ‘Wow, he has huge power’ or ‘Wow, he can really fly.’ ”

Cecchini, who hails from Lake Charles, La., was recently promoted to High-A St. Lucie after spending 57 games with Single-A Savannah, despite hitting just .259 in 57 games for the Sand Gnats, with three homers and 25 RBIs.

“We’re happy. He’s one of the youngest players in High-A,” DePodesta said. “Typically, what we’ve done with high school guys is break them in at [the Rookie level] and then play them in Brooklyn the next summer.”

Most New York-Penn League teams are stocked with college draftees, but Cecchini, who was 19 at the time, more than held his own, hitting .273 in 51 games for the Cyclones last summer.

Cecchini is far from the physical peak of his powers, and an American League scout who has seen him play said there is room for him to grow.

“There is juice in the barrel, there’s no question,” the scout said. “Defensively, he makes all of the routine plays. Average to better arm. He’s growing into the uniform, he looks like he did gain weight. He did get stronger-looking in the legs.”

Cecchini has a family member who also is making his mark this season. His brother, Garin, made his major-league debut for the Red Sox earlier this month.

“When his brother got the call, he came to the field all excited and I know he was following what his brother was doing,” Savannah hitting coach Valentino Pascucci recalled.

“He’s definitely excited for his brother, and it gives him some fire, too.”

As for the statistics, sometimes they need to be put into context, and one should not look at Cecchini’s .259 batting average in Savannah in a vacuum.

“Savannah is probably the least hitter-friendly park in all of minor league baseball, between the dimensions and the [heavy] air,” DePodesta said.

Also, it can’t be lost that just two years ago, he was finishing high school.

“I know the numbers play up, there’s no question, but [they] don’t count how many times he hit the ball hard,” the scout said. “He’s still maturing into the game. You can tell that he’s been polished in certain areas when it comes to mechanics. You have to give a young guy like him time. He’s not coming out of high school like Bryce Harper.”